


You can't blame a beaten dog for biting

by Aurora_Damigny



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Alternate Universe - Police, Canon-Typical Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Eren Is a Little Shit, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Eren Yeager, Poverty, Slow Burn, Underground Eren, mafia, underground au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2020-05-01 23:54:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19187782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurora_Damigny/pseuds/Aurora_Damigny
Summary: Levi looks at him this way again. What is it ? Interest ? Hostility ? It's like he's careful but doesn't want to be. Like he wants to do something but can't bring himself to."So you don't care ? You're alone in this hell now. With me as your only company, which frankly might possibly be the worst part of you situation.""What ? You want me to cry ?""At this point, if you don't, I'll fucking make you."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Eren has two prisons, and only one of them is material.Levi has two missions, and only one of them is part of his job.





	1. The underground

The piercing sound of the school bell startles Eren, and he almost drops the groceries. 

He takes a few step back to hide behind the wall as the students start to reach the school’s entrance. He heard that there are some thugs who robbed the kids on their way home today, so he decided to come pick up Armin and Mikasa. But he doesn’t want to see his old schoolmates. 

He knows how they would look at him. 

They didn't respected him when he was one of them, and he doesn't imagine that leaving improved his reputation.

 

He recognizes his sister’s red scarf and grabs her elbow when she doesn’t notice him. She abruptly hits him in the chest and grabs his neck before she recognizes him. "Oh my.. Eren, I’m so sorry. Are you okay ?"

He tries to smile but it’s ruined by his couching. "Yeah I’m fine, sorry I should have warned you. My fault." Luckily she didn’t use all her strength or he would have three broken ribs.

"What are you doing here ?" Mikasa asks, taking the bag of grocery which Eren dropped on the floor. Fuck, he hopes the eggs aren’t broken.

"Hannes told me some kids got their shit stolen, so I came to bring you and Armin home."

"We don’t have anything valuable."

He shrugs "They could have bothered you still."

She smiles, her brown eyes melting like chocolate. "Thanks."

They wait until Armin arrives. He borrowed a book from the school’s library and makes guesses about its content from the title alone during the entire walk home. Eren imagines that books should always be a disappointment to Armin, ‘cause he’s way better than the writers at imagining stories, from what Eren remembers being forced to read in middle school.

As the two boys prepare dinner, Mikasa does her homework. She has to do it early, she works at the hospital in the evening. Armin is only twelve, too young to get a job. Not legally, but they won’t let him. 

Eren makes most of the money. But they don’t talk about it, not when Armin is around. Even if the younger boy didn’t needed to be protected from this, Mikasa can barely handle mentioning it most of the days.

When Eren and Mikasa were twelve, Eren’s mom died. Officially it was sickness, but really, her shitty work as a nurse slowly wrecked her over the years, until the dark circles under her eyes closed them forever. His dad killed himself a few days later. 

They survived on what little money his parents had gathered for a while, but then, Eren had to stop spending his days emptily looking at their kitchen and sleeping in his mom and dad’s bed, or they would have starved.  
It was easy enough. Almost all the kids who don't have parents work for the mafias. At first it was mostly selling drugs. Over the years, Kenny trained him to be a good fighter. He made enough money to keep Mikasa and Armin in school with a roof over their heads. That also made him a valuable to Kenny. Made him docile. Unlike others, he had too much to loose to oppose any orders. The only thing he wants now, is to make sure his two friends get the grades which will allow them to leave the undergrounds.

Inside the walls, only the kids who "deserved it" geta chance to escape this place. Eren’s parents gave everything to send them to the only school in the underground. One that allows children the possibility to become valuable.

He had to leave. That chance would have been lost on him anyway. He’s not smart, not in a way that matters for the people above. 

* * *

 

As usual, he checks that Armin is sleeping alright and waits in the kitchen, with a strong coffee in his weak hand, until Mikasa comes back. She gives him a hug, and reminds him to be careful.

He nods like it's a possibility.

 

It’s a squat more than a lair. An old deserted building, covered in mold and dust, in which they meet to get their orders from the boss. Some stoned guys walk around in circles and a few coked ones claw the walls or mumble to themselves. Others babbles while drinking a beer, waiting for the next order with nowhere else to go.

It’s cold outside. Nia, one of the younger girls, asks for his jacket and he lets her borrow it. She has to spend the whole night in the streets until she sells the twenty grams she got, and she’s already skinny enough. 

She better make the money though. Kenny is annoyed today. Eren can tell from the fact that he has his gun in his hand rather than in his belt. 

He got punched with this gun’s handle enough times to know he has to be extra careful around the guy tonight. 

"Fucking mobsters everywhere." Kenny spits some grey saliva on the floor. ‘’But you know what’s really fucking with my brain, Jaeger ? Its that they’re always after my ass. Do you see Vlad or Luke worried about their fucking towns ? They don’t care ‘bout those fuckers turning men into dead meat and women into cum meat, but when we do suddenly everyone calls human right violation on me.’’

Eren nods. It’s true that recently, they’ve been getting the short end of the stick. Lots of guys have disappeared, and they had to hide and change their meeting spots more often. As a result, Kenny got more violent too. He’s the paranoid type, always finding new reasons why someone ‘’broke the code.’’ and deserves to get their brains splattered on the walls.

It’s an unwritten code, that varies depending on Kenny’s bloodlust.

"Go to the water tower. I sent Terell and Ang there yesterday and they never came back. I want to know what the fuck happened to those bastards."

Eren nods again. He doesn’t open his mouth when he’s not asked a question. He learned that the talkers don’t last long. 

Usually Kenny makes him join his "personal guard" and all he has to do is look dangerous. Sometimes act dangerous. He’s not ranked a lot higher than the kids out on the streets. But he’s good at being a rabid dog and that got him some respect in this place. 

They’re the most powerful yakuza inside the walls. Thanks to his merciless lead, his brutal methods, and his relentless experimenting of new ways to make money, Kenny managed to climb the underground’s ladder of filth. 

About a year ago, members of the mafias started to disappear at an alarming rate. They don’t know why, as before that everyone was drugged, whoring, or dying, and no one gave a shit. It can't be the police, the militia doesn’t deal with armed people and the guardians are exclusively tasked with keeping them underground and protecting the school. There is no laws here.

It makes no sense. Which is why everyone is so nervous. 

 

Eren doesn’t know exactly what’s happening up there. His dad used to live above before he was sent below for helping people illegally escape the underground, but he didn’t talk about it often. He did say that most people believe that anyone deserving in the underground can leave thanks to the school the state kindly provided. Even if most parents can't afford it. This imagined meritocracy is good enough for them. 

He also explained that the society up there is split between the rich and the ultra-rich, all gathered inside the walls to be protected from the outside world. 

This economic stability is regulated by the existence of the undergrounds, which allows the government to get rid of any unnecessary or annoying citizen. Every year a quota of necessary ones is decided and the best students of their shit-hole ascend. 

The country is rich thanks to its exportation of rare plants and precious metals, and dangerous jobs doesn’t exist anymore up there. Except for the guardians, and the survey corps. 

Even the garrison almost never gets involved in violence as weapons are forbidden above, but the survey cops do. Unlike the other rich assholes, they go beyond the walls to fight the country’s war. They see the world. 

His dad told him, how they would go down the streets, with their capes covered with wings, and the huge gate would open for them and everyone would applaud their bravery.

  
When he was younger, Eren’s dream was to become a survey corp. His parents didn’t like the idea, they wanted him to be safe. Under the sun, but inside the cage. They fought about it often. 

He gets it now. He wouldn’t want Armin or Mikasa to become part of the military either. As much as he hates those rich scumbags, he wants them to be as comfy, safe, and filthy rich as possible. And not have to die in a shitty hospital filled with people who can’t bear the lack of light. Or kill themselves because this ceiling crushes them like an insect under a boot. 

* * *

The water tower is dirty, old, and barely kept functional. There’s nothing unusual except that there is no one there. Which is unusual. It should be filled with dealers and junkies. There doesn’t seem to be any traces of struggle or murders either, not a trace of blood, not a left behind syringe, it’s like everyone and everything has been swept away.

 Eren is starting to get nervous, putting both hands in his pockets and closing his right one around his knife. Even below, weapons are rare and expensive. Almost no one owns a gun, and most of them are part of Eren’s gang. 

That’s why when he feels a gun barrel to his head, his blood freezes. He puts his two hands up and clenches his teeth, hoping it’s a robber and not a murderer. After a few seconds, the man behind him start laughing loudly, his throat making sounds like a lawn mower. Eren recognizes that sound and turns around, lowering his hands. 

"FUCK ! Zeke, are you trying to give me a fucking heart attack ?"

The man keeps laughing, his gun still pointed at Eren, he strokes his blond beard with a prideful glee. Zeke is one of the top dogs in the mafia, just under Kenny in terms of ranks. He’s also a fucking psycho, always taking a sadistic pleasure in torturing their enemies and messing with their members. Sometimes the difference of treatment is a thin line with him.

"A heart attack ? You sure were about to piss yourself, Jaeger. You’re so sensitive. And you’re what ? Seventeen right ? Grow some damn balls."

"What are you doing here ?’" Eren asks, gritting his teeth to force himself to ignore the mockery. It’s too dangerous to talk back with this guy. 

"Just wondering what happened. Kenny is convinced that it’s the guardians who are taking his men, because they fear he became so dangerous he might overthrow the whole country."

Zeke laughs again, so fucking loudly. Even was supposed to be discrete, damn it.

He keeps talking "Kenny doesn’t understand shit about above. they could kill us all in a minute if they wanted to. But they need us to scare everyone up there into submission. Make them all happy that they’re not down here with us."

Only then, Zeke lowers his gun, and Eren lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. "Well I don’t know who it was but they’re gone" He says. 

Suddenly, a flash of green flies above Eren’s head and Zeke is sent four meters away from the strength of the shock.

Eren takes a step to maybe help Zeke or maybe run away, but he doesn’t even get the chance to decide when something hits him behind the knees and he falls on the ground. He tries to stand up but someone is pressing their feet against his back and pushing him hard into the ground. 

"I wouldn’t if I were you"Says the masculine gravelly voice belonging to the person who is stepping on him. 

Eren hears a click, and realizes that, for the second time that night, he has a gun pointed at his head. He stops moving because he might not be school-smart but he’s not completely dumb either.

  
Zeke on the other hand, apparently took the stupid option as Eren can hear him try to fight his way out of here. ‘’You utter BITCH, you have no fucking right to tie me up ! who are you ? You will regret laying a finger on me when boss finds out and makes you BEG for mercy as he turns you into scrambled eggs from the inside !’’ 

Another voice answers ‘’Can’t wait to experience the local cooking tradition’’ with an excited tone. 

‘’Hange, stop playing and make him shut up.’’ The man somewhere above him says. The pressure on Eren’s back disappears. ‘’You, sit. Kneeling. And hands up. ‘’ The voice orders. 

Eren does as he’s told. 

 

He can now see Zeke and one of their aggressors. He can’t tell whether it’s a man or a woman, but they’re wearing white pants, leather boots, a yellow shirt and a green cape. All covered in leather straps which seem to be connected to some kind of device Eren doesn’t recognize. It’s the most expensive and clean outfit the young man has ever seen, and he wonders if those people are from above. He’s seen leather before, but he’s never seen anyone actually wearing it. The person even has two guns, which are kept on each side of their belts. Their hair looks clean and healthy, up in a ponytail, and they have glasses. 

Eren’s dad used to have glasses. He’s sure those are only made above. They must actually come from inside the walls then.  
Eren feels a hand patting his sides and the man takes his knife from his pocket. "You’re armed too. Are you with him, or from another mafia ? He was pointing a gun at your head." The man asks him. His tone is really matter-of-fact and not particularly agressive, to Eren's surprise. 

Zeke gets gagged by the other stranger. Now completely immobilized on his knees, he’s looking at the younger man with outrage in his eyes. His thoughts are easy enough to figure out. 

Why isn’t Eren tied up ? Why isn’t he fighting back ?Why is he being so docile ? 

"Hey, brat, you listening ?" The man walks around him, and Eren looks up to at him. 

He’s wearing the same outfit as his partner, only with a grey shirt, and if possible, even cleaner. He’s also really muscular. Clearly he can afford to eat. His hair is shaved on the lower part and cut evenly. He’s close enough that Eren can see his skin has a nice color. 

Eren guesses that  he must be astonishingly rich. 

Which doesn’t explain what the hell he’s doing here. 

He looks right at Eren, waiting for an answer. He has the most scary, impressive eyes the underground man has ever seen. Cold grey, like the barrel of his gun. 

"Maybe he’s not dangerous." The one named Hange says, still covering Zeke in layers of rope like a fucked up christmas tree. 

"He has a weapon. He’s dangerous." The man doesn’t look away. 

"I’m with him." Eren blurts out.  
This wasn’t smart. Was it ? But he doesn't want to try to lie to this man.

"And you’re part of Kenny’s gang, brat ?" He asks. 

Eren nods. Strangely enough, the man gives him the same impulse as Kenny. Don’t talk it you don’t have to.  
He crouches in front of him. "And how old are you ?"

Eren’s arms are getting tired, he lowers them a little. The attacker doesn’t react. "Seventeen."

The person tying up Zeke gasps "Levi, he’s a kid ! Lower your gun !"

The man doesn’t do that, but his face seems to soften a little. Levi, as it must be his name, turns around to face Hange. "We’ll bring them to Erwin, he’ll decide whether the kid gets a special treatment."

Because he’s turned, Eren realizes at this moment that the green cape has a symbol on it. A white and a blue wing, entangled together.  
The survey corps.

For an instant, in a childish impulse, Eren wants to shriek in exultation. Those people were his childhood heroes, and he gets to meet them for real, which he never thought would happen.

And they look even more grandiose and epic than Eren had imagined. 

But then he realizes. The survey corps have no business here. Their job is to serve in the outside world and to..

To make war. 

He wishes Kenny hadn’t been right. But it seems the above does want to exterminate them. 

 

Eren knows he won’t get another shot at this. Levi isn’t looking and Hange has their hands full of ropes.

He hits the man on the face with his elbow and starts running before he can even assess the other’s reaction. He races across the street, his blood pumping loudly in his veins as he hears someone running after him. He turns right and climbs on a fence, jumping on the other side. He runs, and runs again until he can’t breath anymore and collapses on the dirty street. 

As he scrambles to his feet in panic that they might catch him, he realizes that there is no sound indicating that they are anywhere nearby. 

Eren should report to Kenny. He has some very important infos to deliver. 

But before that, he feels the urge to check that Armin and Mikasa are okay.

The underground is at war, and now more than ever he has to protect them. 

 


	2. The pack

He shakes Armin awake. "Where is Mikasa ?"

The blond boy rubs his eyes, still half-asleep. "Back to the hospital. They needed extra help tonight." 

Fuck. He stands up but Armin grabs his arm. "Is everything okay ? What happened ?"

That kid is smart. Way too smart for his age, and even more for this place. "Nothing. Go back to sleep, I'll go pick her up. Don't leave the house if we're not back to take you to school."

Armin nods, clearly frustrated that Eren won't tell him what's going on. He clenches his fist and lowers his head, moping. It's a relief for Eren to see him do this. 

They try to make sure he can still act like a kid, and every years that passes where Armin's eyes don't become empty and despondent is a win.

  
Eren used to be a lot more childlike than him though. Unlike Mikasa, who had to deal with her parent's murder when she was very young, he had been completely sheltered from the violence of the underground. Back then he was a loud, impulsive, and capricious child. Kept in the safety of his house and the school, he was rarely punished or scolded for it. Most of the time it bored him. The calmness of the other kids, the patience of his parents, the composure of his sister. 

He had no idea. That he lived in the only place where such behavior where possible. He dreamed of adventure and danger. 

And then he got exactly that. He realized then, that being reckless can get you killed faster than a bullet in the heart. That in the real world, being loud and obnoxious is only allowed when you have the power to back it up. That people will at best ignore you, but they won't forgive a twelve years old trying to get attention. Or food. 

He adjusted, restraining his every moves and every words. Now stranger tend to think he's older, like the survey cops did, not suspecting his age until he said it. It makes Mikasa sad, to see how he changed. She used to cling to his genuineness and innocence as a reminder of her own. He knows that, but he also know that there's no going back to the way things were. Children don't last long without protection here. 

He ruffles Armin's hair. "Sorry buddy, I'll try to bring you somme apples alright ?" 

The kid's face lights up. "Be careful." He says as he goes back under his blanket. Eren smiles "Always."

* * *

As he walks into the hospital, the emergency that made them call Mikasa in the middle of the night becomes pretty obvious. There must have been a big party or some shit, because a dozen of prostitutes are lying in the beds in different states of pain. Eren can tell their job at the bracelet they wear around their left feet, which brands them to a specific owner. They're young enough that their pimp cared to bring them to the hospital and pay the bill. But judging by the paleness of some of them, they won't all make it.

Eren doesn't look at their faces, it's hard enough to discern their thin, damaged bodies trough the sheets. He's used to them, Kenny is also in this business, but he tries to ignore as much as he can about it. It smells like blood and sex and fear, and he resists the urge to cover his nose. 

Mikasa is holding the hand of one of the girl as a doctor fixes something he can't and doesn't want to see between her legs. She sticks a needle between two bulging ribs and the girl stops whining in pain, her eyes slowly closing. Eren's sister notices him, her smile coming off as a wince.

He takes her outside and tells her about what just happened. 

"You got to tell Kenny, he'll grow suspicious if he thinks you're withholding informations." Is the first thing she says when he finishes his story.

"I will. I wanted to check on Armin and you first. Listen, you need to stay away from here from now on. It's safer around the house and the school, the army won't attack the guardians."

She frowns. "What about you ? I'm not staying put if you're in even more danger."

Eren puts both his hands on her shoulder, squeezing tightly. She's thinner than she used to be, school and work clearly exhausting her like it did his mom. "I'll be fine. Please go back and go to school with Armin, he's waiting. Get apples for him too, or he'll be fussy all day."

"Eren what are you going to do ? Answer me."

He shakes his head. "I don't know. Depends on what Kenny orders."

"But we have no idea why the survey corps are here. Even if they are preparing a genocide, what can we do about it ?"

"They won't attack the school, they.."

"EREN !" she interrupts. "I'm not talking about the damn school ! What about you ? I need you to be safe too."

He doesn't know what to say to her without lying. He's not gonna survive this place, was never supposed too. He knows Mikasa probably planned to have him escape when she ascends, but he never fostered this kind of hope. He has no capacity to be useful up there anyway, what kind of job would he do with no diplomas and capacities ? He belongs down there. 

She looks like she might cry, her brown eyes glistening with tears like she's reading his thoughts. He hugs her. Even with the atrocious stench on her he can still smell warm bread and milk from the breakfast she made for Armin before she left. She sobs softly against his shoulder. "It'll be okay. I just gotta last a few years, until you both leave this hell." She sobs even harder. 

* * *

Kenny goes through the whole emotional spectrum when he hears his story. First he shoots at the ceiling in rage, then he sits on the floor defeated, and then he starts to excitedly walk around the lair. "It's my chance. To show those government scum who I am. I was right, they're scared of me. As they should be." He stops in his track and looks at Eren intensely. "You have no idea, how powerful I am. I am God here." He smiles, showing off his golden teeth. "Or rather, I'm the Satan of this hell, but soon I'll be the God of heaven."

Eren lowers his head like he's impressed by the man rather than remembering about the clear technical superiority of the survey corps. Kenny extends his hand, offering him a small rusty gun. Eren looks at it, immobile. It might be a trap, you never know. "Take it dog. They stole your knife right ? And you still managed to escape. You'll be more useful than the stoned idiots against an army." 

Eren takes it, it's heavy in his hand. He has no idea how to use it, but it might be best not to ask. He's not confortable with Kenny's newfound trust in his capacities. If he's expected more, he's got more to be worried about. But it's not like he can refuse either. 

"Go home, we'll reunite with everyone tonight. Tell them what we learned and how we'll prepare for this war." It's twisting Eren's guts to see Kenny smile that much, it makes his eyes narrower like those of a snake. He's relieved to be allowed to leave. 

As he reaches the door a small hand grabs his. Nia gives him back his jacket with a friendly smile, but she takes a few step back when she notices the gun in his hand. He slips on the clothe and hides the weapon in the inner pocket. "You got promoted." The girl tells him, not sounding particularly happy about it. Mobsters climb the ranks by drawing blood, she knows too. He feels bad about her uneasiness. The kids used to trust him, he's never violent with them. "Is your shift over ? I can walk you home." She shakes her head. "Mom's always comatose in the morning." Right. Most parents don't hang on to the possibility of a happy life for their kids. Most don't care enough. "You don't want to keep the jacket then ?" He asks. 

"It's yours, boss." She walks away, herdark skin glistening with dirt in the candlelight. 

* * *

There is no one home when he arrives. But Mikasa left a cleaned apple for him on the table. He eats and tries to clean the place a little. Everything is always so dirty in the underground, like all the dirt from the world falls on them instead of rain. A black cloud slips in every time someone opens a door or a window until everything is covered in a thick layer of gunk. Beside the lack of sunlight, the major causes of death here are respiratory problems and infections. He boils Mikasa's work clothes. He's happy to have a reason to forbid her to go back there.

It's impossible to keep a house clean, but they at least try to keep the air breathable and their furniture non-infected.

When he's done everything he can, he sleeps a few hours on the bed Mikasa and him share. He wakes up to the sound of some dumbasses fighting in the street. 

It's too son to go pick up his siblings, so he takes the long way, where some light is visible trough small cracks in the ceiling. There is always a bunch of people praying and resting there, and today is no exception. Hannes waves at him and makes room for Eren to sit next to him. "You're off today ?" Eren asks, and the older man nods, offering him a beer. Hannes is a guardian at the school. It's quite mysterious how someone who lives underground can become part of the police force. They're the richer among the poor people of the underground. Hannes was a friend of Eren's and Armin's parents. The more people die, the more Hannes drink. Nowadays he's either drunk or working. Today, he's drunk. 

Eren doesn't blame him. It must be weird, to be heavily armed and trained but only allowed to defend the life of a bunch of kids whose parents are slowly dying to keep them alive. 

They drink together until Eren spots a familiar figure in the crowd. For a moment he thinks he's dreaming or that the shitty beer got him hallucinating. But no, it's the soldier from yesterday.

Levi.

Except today he's dressed in the grey uniform of the guardians. He still looks abnormally healthy and clean, but people here are too busy looking up at the light to notice. He's looking around like he's searching for someone, when his eyes locks with Eren's. 

Fuck. 

 

"Gotta go Hannes." He warns before he starts running.  
But he's out of luck because he barely makes it to the end of the street before Levi hits him behind the knees. Again, his feet is on Eren's back and his gun is at his head and this time the younger got the feeling he wont escape easily.

Damn, he'd been reckless. He thought they wouldn't go near the school, that they would start with the very dangerous people.

"Hello again, brat."

He stays silent, he has no other tactics beside pretending to be dead in those situations. He can feel his gun against his torso, but against a soldier he might as well be armed with a stick. 

"I hope your elbow is fine because you sure didn't held back, right ?"

Levi puts more of his weight on him, until it hurts to breath. He winces a little when the metal of his weapon digs in his flesh. Maybe if he lets the soldier have his way with punishing him he'll live to see Armin and Mikasa again. He starts coughing reflexively when he inhales dirt, spitting some gunk. 

"Gross." Levi comments, and he removes his feet. He grabs Eren's jacket behind his neck and make him stand up. Eren obeys easily. "Stop pretending to be obedient brat, I got enough proof that you're not." 

Granted, now that the teenager can see the bruise spreading from Levi's cheekbone to his jaw, he can guess that he's fucked no matter what he does. 

"Why are you dressed as a guardian ?" 

"Captain."

"What ?"

Levi points at himself with his gun. "It's captain. My title, brat."

Seriously ? "Why are you dressed as a guardian, captain ?" He makes it sound sarcastic without meaning to. The captain smirks. 

"To blend in, obviously. Although I wouldn't wear those filthy and torn clothes of yours." 

What a jerk, and Eren used to think about those guys as heroes. Rich assholes, just like the rest. 

"They're dirty 'cause you keep throwing me on the floor. Captain."

Another smirk. "What's your name brat ?"

"Eren."

"Eren. Why don't you come with me ?"

"Why do you wanna blend in ?" Eren knows, rationally, that he should just obey and shut up. But there in something in Levi that makes him want to be cocky. 

"I might tell you if you come with me. Probably not, though, but it's not like you have a choice."

Indeed.

* * *

Levi leads him near the school, to a large house where usually guardians would live. Eren feels bad for forcing his siblings to go to school, thinking it would be safe for them. He's sent them right in the lion's den and he might never get to warn them. Fuck, he needs to find a way, make a deal.

The captain unlocks the door and leads him to the living room. Three people dressed as survey corps are drinking tea, sitting in a blue couch. He recognizes Hange, who squeals excitedly when they see him. Then there is a tall and muscular man with blond hair and thick eyebrows, and a woman with short red hair and a heart-shaped face. '"Found another member of Kenny's group that we might use. Sit, brat." Levi says.

Eren sits down in a chair across from them. It's unnerving to be stared at by those expensive monsters, and he grabs the seat of the chair to keep himself from fidgeting. 

"Levi, why did you bring him here ?" The blond man ask. 

"Like I said, he's from the mafia. We need an informant, right ?"

"He's a kid." The other man says. "We don't use kids."

"He's the one who has beat up Levi" Henge says, smiling wide when the captain scowls at them. 

"The one who escaped ?" The red-haired woman asks.

"The one Levi let escape." Henge corrects.

"You had your gear on, and you still ran after him. You let him escape." Levi sounds annoyed. "And he's not a kid." the man grabs a handful of Eren's hair forcing him to lean to the side. "Look, how diligent, how emotionless. A good soldier."

 

Eren doesn't like being taunted like this, but he still sees no better option at the time. He notices that the tall blond man's eyes are boring into him like he's trying to read into his fucking soul.

"You'll take responsibility ?" He asks. 

Eren can't see Levi's reaction but he guesses that he must have answered with a visual cue because everyone is now looking back at him like it's his moment.

"What's your name, honey ?" The woman asks. She looks sweet, but still, what the fuck ? No one called him that since his mom died. 

"It's Eren." Levi answers for him. He lets go of his hair and points at his colleagues. "You've met Hange, and this is the Commander Erwin Smith, and Petra. You'll meet everyone eventually."  
Eren is completely lost and no one seems to care. 

He turns to the captain. "Why the hell would I ?" Petra gasps in surprise, and Henge laughs loudly. 

"You'll be our informant, give us infos on Kenny's actions and follow my orders from now on." 

"I won't help you murder everyone in the underground. Go fuck yourself." 

 

There is a long silence, during which everyone looks shocked, until Petra leans forward, talking to him like he's a scarred animal. "We're not trying to do that, Eren. We're.."

"He doesn't need to know that." Erwin interrupts "It's classified informations."

"Why would I work with you then ?" Eren asks. 

"Well, Eren." The commander answers, "Is there anything you want ?"

Are they actually offering him payment ? From the commander of the survey corps ?

 

There is only two people he really cares about. 

"Can you bring two kids to the outside and guarantee me their safety ? If you do." He breathes in once. Not enough to give himself time to think. "I'll give you my life to use as you wish."

He squeezes the chair, waiting as the commander ponders his offer. 

"Allright. Two people." Erwin accepts easily. What ?

"Really ? You can just do that ? " 

"Of course I can."

He feels his heart squeeze even as relief pours in his veins. They'll be safe. But he'll be alone, forever. He wants to fall on his knees in gratefulness but also cry in despair.

"We meet every night, at one. I want them gone before our reunion tonight." He says, putting his own impulses aside. 

"I'll take care of it." Levi grabs his elbow and he lets himself being dragged outside. 

"See you Eren !" Henge waves at him and Petra gives him a kind smile. He nods, clenching his teeth in emotion. 

* * *

He walks next to Levi, feeling lightheaded from all the informations he has to process. "Who are they ? Those two kids ?" The man asks.

"My siblings." Eren inhales by the mouth to try and get rid of this suffocating sensation in his throat. Pain. "Well, not really. My parents adopted my sister, Mikasa, after her parents died. And Armin was brought to us when he was nine. His parents owed money to a mafia, and they brought him to a friend of us before they disappeared. Hannes, he's a guardian." 

It feels weird. To actually tell their story for the first time, now that it's about to end. Eren knew that he would be separated from them forever, but he thought he still had a year with Mikasa and five years with Armin. He realizes now, that he's not ready to let go. 

"Where are they ?" Levi watches him like he's waiting for something, with a calm intensity mixed with an acute awareness of his every moves. 

"They should be home by now. School is over."

"How could you afford.. Oh right, the mafia. That's why."

Eren doesn't answer. He leads him to his small house in silence. When he opens the door Armin throws himself on him, locking his arms around the middle of his chest. "Eren ! We were so worried !" Mikasa approaches to hug him too, but then she notices Levi and grabs a fork possibly to attack him. Eren places himself between them both, grabbing his sister's wrist. "Mikasa stop. Armin is watching !" That makes her let go, and grab the younger boy by the shoulders, bringing him away from the stranger. "Why is there a guardian here, Eren ? Didn't you say they want us all dead ?" 

Levi raises his eyebrows, unimpressed with being called a mass killer. 

"He's going to bring you outside." Eren explains. "He's part of the survey corps. I'll work for them from now on, and in exchange, you're leaving this place earlier than planned."

They both look at him like they don't recognize him anymore. Surprisingly, Armin speaks first. "No. We're no leaving without you." 

Luckily he had planned an answer to that. "I'll join you when my mission here is finished. Then we'll live together up there. Guys, it's out best shot at staying together."

It's a lie, but he has no choice, they wouldn't do it otherwise. Levi doesn't contradict him, but he sighs angrily. 

They're still eyeing the captain with distrust, but Eren has no time for this. He has to meet with Kenny soon, and if there is the slightest chance that he gets caught on his first day as an informant, he want his family safe before that. He grabs Armin's coat and helps him get it on. "Come on, go get the stuff you want to bring with you buddy." He looks at Mikasa, pleading. "I can't send Armin there alone, he needs you to take care him." 

He feels terrible, for making Mikasa cry for the second time that day. She only did when her four parents died. It does make her gather their stuff and get ready to leave. 

They walk half an hour to find the exit tunnel, Armin tightly holding his left hand and Mikasa his right. 

There, hundreds of guardians keep the gates. Those guardians live outside. When they see Levi approaching, they hit their chest with their closed fist in salute. "So much for the discretion." The captain mumbles. "Come on, let's go kids. It's night-time right now, so you should be relatively fine with the change of light." 

Mikasa hugs might break his ribs. Damn, she's so strong. He caresses her hair as she cries on his shoulder. "I'll be fine, and I'll see you soon. Don't worry about me. Enjoy the sunlight and fresh air, and become a great doctor." She tries to answer but she's sobbing so hard she can't make out the words. 

Small sounds make Eren realize that Armin is trying to cry silently, his hand covering his mouth as the tears flow out. He takes his hand off his face and squeezes it. "Buddy, keep having fun at the school up there. And also make friends, don't read all day alright ? And don't hide to cry, it's okay, it's okay to cry." Armin hugs him. Hugs him like a child hugs his mom on the first day of school. It makes Eren feel like he did what he was supposed to. Raised him the best he could. He looks at Mikasa, who he wishes he could have protected a lot more. "I love you." He tells them both.

Levi and Mikasa have to force Armin to let go of Eren. The guardians open the gate at the captain's command and Eren stands there, watching the three of them disappear to the sound of Armin calling his name in agony. He has to tell himself, again and again, that the boy is safe. Has to turn around and leave before he tries to catch them. 


	3. The brothel

 

"We're not a mafia anymore, we're an army."

Kenny's declaration is met with complete silence. The way hundreds of people are facing the boss, staring down, it looks almost solemn. But Eren can already tell. The tension, the twitching of fingers, the atmosphere of fear. 

They are not a united front.

Everyone just wants to make it out alive.

"The first step is to gather weapons. We've been fighting like children for too long now, we gotta be prepared for an actual fucking war. Go to all the houses and shops in the undergrounds, and bring me all the guns you'll find."

Eren is glad that his siblings safety is not guaranteed by those people. Compared to the actual army, they look like a bunch of crawling insects.

"And don't even think about disappearing on me you bastards. I'll use any deserter's head to show the survey corps what i'm capable of. Now, get the fuck out, soldiers."

 

Soldiers. The smell of sweat and rotting teeth, the kids groggy from a long night of work, the barely sober men. Dimly lighted by the candles, in this building with grey walls and floor which was partly removed to feed the fire during the winter. All of it only kept together by Kenny's madness and paranoia. 

The underground's army.

* * *

The walk home is agonizing. Now that the stress of meeting with Kenny is gone, he can't avoid the thought of the empty rooms. As he approaches, he notices that Mikasa forgot a few clothes on the drying rack. One of Armin's t-shirt, one of her jacket, and her towel stayed there overnight when they left in a hurry.

It's almost surreal, to think that they're never going to get them back, because there is just no path between them and their belongings anymore. That they might be Eren's last proof that he used to have a family.

 

He realizes he's been standing motionless in the middle of the street and shakes himself out of his sorrows. He climbs the ladder that leads to the roof to gather the abandoned items. If people notice, they might guess that his siblings disappeared. As far as Kenny knows, he's keeping them locked safely inside the house. 

He folds the clothes and drops them on the kitchen table. He can't store them. Can't open the empty closets. That's just too hard. 

Armin's shirt has a hole in the back, the size of an apple. How did that happen ? Did he get caught on a rusty nail ? Or in a door handle ? Did he fell because he was pondering on some imaginary debate instead of watching his step ?

Eren will never know. 

 

He sits alone at the table, and stares at it like the garment could answer for its owner.

"You look like a puppy that got kicked."

For a second, Eren wonders if he just hallucinated that the t-shirt talked to him. But when he raises his head he realizes that Levi is casually leaning against the wall, near the open window.

"How are they ?" Can't he say their name ? What's happening to him ?

"Fine. They're at a friend's place for now. Marco will help them settle and everything. The kid will start school in a few days."

Eren smiles. That's good. That's great, actually. He's glad they're not by themselves. 

"They miss you already. Kept asking when you'll join them." Levi's tone is accusatory, even if his face doesn't show any emotions. Eren prudently lowers his head.

"They wouldn't have left otherwise. It was the only way." He explains.

"I know that, brat. But now you lied to them. You're fine with that ?"

Eren nods.

"You'll never see them again."

He nods again. 

"That won't be easy for you. Or them, when they find out."

He nods once more. 

"Are you going to play detached and calm for long ? Stop balancing your head brat, you look like a fucking broken doll."

Eren stares back. "What can I do about it ? I promised to help you in exchange for their safety."

Levi looks at him this way again. What is it ? Interest ? Hostility ? It's like he's careful but doesn't want to be. Like he wants to do something but can't bring himself to. 

"So you don't care ? You're alone in this hell now. With me as your only company, which frankly might possibly be the worst part of you situation."

"What ? You want me to cry ?"

"At this point, if you don't, I'll fucking make you."

Eren laughs a little. Fuck, he really wants to cry. But how would that be useful ? How would that help him keep his family safe ?

He needs to focus. 

"You're here about the meeting right ? I'll tell you everything."

Levi is unhappy with him again. His gaze fixed on him like he would split him in two halves if he could. It makes Eren nervous. Generally he's good at pleasing his bosses, Kenny is insane but as long as Eren is composed and emotionless and does his job, he's fine with him. But Levi isn't happy with Eren doing what he's told. It confuses him. Isn't that why he was chosen ? To be a good soldier ?

He lowers his head again and quickly explains Kenny's plan and what he told them. 

"I don't think that even a majority of the members want to fight. But they'll do it if they have no choice. Soon the entire underground will know you want to exterminate all of us." He really needs a coffee. Where is the coffee maker ? Oh, there it is. "Do you want coffee ?"

"Have you ever tasted tea ?" He almost jumps in surprise. Levi is standing right next to him, with a hand on the kitchen counter. Eren didn't hear him move. "Tea ? What is that ?" 

"Sit down brat, I'll make it."

Eren hesitates but decides it's better not to argue with the captain. 

 

Two days ago, he was eating with his two siblings, chatting about school. Then they cleaned the table and Armin read aloud for them. After he fell asleep, Eren and Mikasa had washed the dishes and his sister had cut his hair over the sink. 

And now, next to this same sink, the captain of the survey corps is heating water with some kind of leafs in it. He's really imposing, Eren notices. Standing overly straight, but still relaxed. The captain still wears the gray uniform of the guardians, but this time with a green coat that reaches his calves. 

He removes the leaves and pours the liquid into two cups. He gives one to Eren. 

It's warm, and smells like the medicine his mom would give him when he got sick during the winter. 

"It's mint." Levi says, sipping his own drink. 

Eren dips his lips into the cup tentatively. It's actually delicious. Stronger than he expected. 

"It's really good. Do they drink this often outside ?" He asks. 

"Yeah. Some people do. When is the last time you slept ?"

Eren wonders why the captain would ask this. The last time he slept, it was after his last family dinner, two days ago. "Some time." He answers.

"You look like shit." Eren doesn't have anything to answer to that. He drinks quietly. "Is that why you're so unresponsive ? Are you really tired ?" Levi continues. 

Eren shrugs. "I'm not really talkative. Sorry." 

"You're not hm ?" Levi says, looking sideways like he's not really talking to him. He takes Eren's empty cup from his hand. "Go to bed brat. You're useless to me if you're exhausted."

The younger man watches as the captain cleans the two cups, unmoving. "I told you to sleep. Aren't you supposed to obey me ?" 

Eren stumbles to his feet and walks to his room. On the doorstep, he looks at the large figure of the man in his kitchen, with his even larger shadow projected on the wall by the candlelight. "Thank you for the tea, captain." 

He gets no answer. 

* * *

Eren sighs, wiping the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve. He finishes installing the last metal bar on the window, and jumps on the floor.

Kenny decided thatthey should reinforce security in all their hideouts and business places. He also gave him two new recruits, Connie and Sasha, as his subordinates now that he has some kind of status. 

 

The two teens had been very surprised upon discovering the place. The brothels are the most comfortables and pretty places that Eren ever saw in the undergrounds. Thick purple carpets cover the grounds, and the walls are hidden by light blue curtains. The tables are made of polished oak, and people sit on soft pink pillows scattered around the room. This show of wealth is quite cynical, when one knows that the prostitutes live in the worst part of the underground, "the dumpster". Eren shivers, he had to go there a few times, and every time he had wished that it would be the last.

 

The brothel is almost empty today. Probably because people are worried about the presence of the survey corps. A few girls are talking with clients or dancing on the tables, trying to convince the men to spend some money. The clients of this place are the richest people of the undergrounds. The guardians, the teachers, and the doctors. But Eren's dad told him that it's not rare for people from above to secretly visit those places too, if they have the means and influence to deal with the guardians. 

 

Connie and Sasha walk down the stairs, carefully not looking at the mostly naked women. They're accompanied by Luna. Eren has met her a few times when he was sent to deal with dangerous clients. She has a golden bronze skin, long chocolate brown hair that reach her waist, and black round eyes. As usual, she wears a white bra and her legs are wrapped in an almost transparent silver veil that lets her black panty show. She smiles when she recognizes Eren. He bows his head. He knows she likes him, and she's very kind, but that only makes it harder to keep his distance. And he already has his siblings to care for. 

Not repelled by his coldness, she still offers him some coffee with bread. Sasha is way too happy to eat and they end up sitting in a corner. "Just a minute, and then I have to go home." Eren tells her. 

 

"So you two kids, how did you became part of the mafia ?" She asks while pouring the coffee. 

Sasha ties her dirty brown hair in a ponytail. She's a really skinny girl with hollow eyes and flaky skin. "My dad learned about the war, so he sent me where I would get a gun and a training to defend the family."

'"Same." Connie adds. He's not as skinny as the girl, but he has too many missing teeth and struggles to eat. He's really small for his age, as many kids from the undergrounds who weren't fed enough. 

"And you're both under Eren's command ? How did you became so important ?" She turns to Eren, but Connie answers before he can. "I heard he's the one who found out about the invasion."

"What ? How ?" She asks.

He shrugs awkwardly, "Right place, right time. I got attacked by two of them while I was investigating disappearances. I managed to escape through sheer luck, and reported it to Kenny."

"You escaped the survey corps ?" She looks shocked. Eren wonders if she ever met one of them in her workplace. He feels uncomfortable at the idea of his childhood heroes coming here, but that wouldn't be very surprising. Levi pierced the line of guardians like a sieve a few days ago. 

 

"I was lucky." He repeats. 

"You were." She runs her finger over the bracelet on her left feet, lost in thoughts. Tracing the two guns crossing each others engraved in it. Kenny's brand. Then collects herself and changes the subject.

"How is your lovely sister ? Is she safe ?" Luna knows Mikasa, his sister treated her multiple times when clients got too rough.

Eren swallows the pain in his throat. "Yeah she's alright, she won't be coming to the hospital anymore though, I asked her to stay home."

Luna tilts her head with sympathy "I understand you're worried. But I'm sure they wouldn't do anything to the school." 

"Your sister goes to the school ?" Sasha spits out bits of food in surprise. 

Eren nods, embarrassed. Connie and Sasha are both fourteen, barely older than Armin. He feels bad they weren't given a chance. 

"So you're working to pay for it ? She's lucky." Connie comments. 

"Eren is really admirable right ?" Luna says, smiling to him.

He blushes, almost dropping his coffee in his hurry to stand up. "We must go. We shouldn't bother you while you're working. Thanks for your time.. Take care."

"Tell Mikasa I'm still thankful for her help too."

"Yeah. I will."

She waves at them with both hands as they leave. 


	4. The spy

The bruise on Levi's head, where Eren's elbow hit him two weeks ago, has turned yellowish with a few spots of purple still lingering. It makes Eren wince internally every time he sees it. Even when he knows he shouldn't. 

 

The thing is, sometimes captain Levi is a jerk. 

Eren can never seem to grasp what he expect from him as an informant. That feeling of uneasiness had sticked the first time they met and has never left since. Levi has no pattern. One day he'll make him work double to use his acquaintances in the underground to find someone, and the day after he'll remind him to sleep enough.

 

And take a bath. That's like 90% of Levi's orders. Eren has to wash every day now. Even in the ever lingering smell of trash, the captain can sense the sweat on him with his super clean-freak powers. 

 

He meets Eren at his place and brings him food. Great food, probably coming from above. Eren has never taster anything that rich. Every time he's in his small, dirty, old kitchen Eren feels stupidly inadequate. But Levi is never mean to him even when he's really brutal with words. He pulls and pushes at him like a cat with a string, not really trying to hurt, but testing the responses. 

 

The thing is, sometimes Levi is sweet. 

And Eren has no idea what to do with it. 

It's been so long since he had to interact with anyone that isn't Mikasa or Armin. Really interact, not like politelyestablishing that you're not a threat or aggressively asserting that you are one. Levi is not trying to avoid a fight but not trying to get into one either, and that really fucks up Eren's brain to have to deal with someone who just isn't playing the underground's dominance game.

 

* * *

 

He's with Nia, Connie and Sasha today. He doesn't like it. It's already shitty enough to do this job without bringing three kids with him. Connie and Sasha are at least twelve, but Nia, she's not older than nine although her wrinkles and stern face make it easy to forget sometimes.

Luckily, just waving his gun around is enough to get all the shopkeepers to give him money. 

 

He grows more nervous when they approach the meeting point where Kenny waits for them and the others. Levi warned him that he and Hange would follow him discreetly to list the members of the mafia. There is no name records in the underground so they have to draw their faces one by one. Hange will do that while Levi stands guard. 

 

It's telling that they'll be only two soldiers to spy on Kenny's troops. Well, three if they count Eren in their ranks, but Eren's not crazy or arrogant enough to think that. He hasn't seen anyone from the survey corps except Levi since he made the deal with Erwin. 

 

No the truth is, they don't consider the underground's army worth the fight. Eren doesn't know what to think of that. Sure, the survey corps are better armed and trained. But they have a code, honor, and seem reticent to violence, at least against children. Kenny might be able to turn the table if he knew that.

Not that he will, Eren has no plan to play double-spy. 

 

Nia is struggling to carry the heavy bag of cash, but she won't let anyone help her. Eren guesses she's trying to make everyone forget that she's so vulnerable. It's understandable, but it's not working. She's too small and alone tobe convincing. 

 

Once they've delivered the money to Kenny, Eren goes to stand somewhere to the side where he's not to visible. The three kids follow him, Connie to his right, Sasha to his left, and Nia before him. They've been sticking to him like glue all day, he can't imagine why. He grabs Nia's shoulder and make stand behind him. Better make sure Kenny doesn't see her. 

 

The boss is angry today, pacing around the room while everyone hurries to stand in a semicircle around him. Eren feels cold sweat on the back of his neck. Kenny's too calm, it makes him even more dangerous.

 

"They're stealing our men one by one."

He scans the room, look at their faces one by one. Of course, they all know that. But they've been recruiting a lot, too, with people being scared to be killed by the survey corps. 

"If this continues, they'll win by acting like fucking cowards, because they're too scared of facing me." 

He puts his hand on his gun. Connie takes one step closer to Eren, nervous. 

"I want you to stay here at all times. Bring your families, bring what you need. Because from now on, you'll only be allowed to leave if I say so. Understood ?"

There is few answers. Everyone hates that idea. 

And Eren is even more fucked.

 

After the meeting is over, he asks Kenny to warn Mikasa and Armin that he won't be coming back.

"Bring 'em here. I'll happily meet your sister."

Eren would never bring Mikasa in this place even if Kenny ordered him to. "I can't. They won't be allowed back in school when this is over if they are seen here."

"You wanna continue sending 'em there and paying for it too ? Hasn't the government proved to you already that we're cockroaches to 'em ?"

"I promised our parents." 

Kenny grits his teeth and Eren looks at the ground in silence for several minutes. "Fine. Get the fuck out then. But be back quickly."

 

* * *

 

He wasn't sure Levi and Hange were able to hear anything, but he only has to walk two blocks until Levi grabs him by the back of his shirt and throws him in an alley.

"Well, brat, you really aren't lucky it seems."

"They're really young." Hange is gritting their teeth in distress.

"I told you they would be young." Levi tells them. 

Hange grabs Eren's wrist, pulling him up. "That little girl with black skin and an oversized sweater. How old is she ?"

"Nia ? I don't know, around eight or nine I guess."

"Thats awful." Hange ruffle their hair, tangling it more than anything. "How old were you when you got into the mafia ?" 

"Twelve." 

"What did you expect, that there were some underground's summer camps for the kids who don't go to school ? They have to become useful somehow." The captain says, fumbling with some kind of device. 

"It's different to hear about it and to actually see it." 

To Hange's credit, they actually seems very concerned with how people in the undergrounds are treated. It doesn't make it easier for Eren to understand why they helps kidnap them one by one. 

 

"How are we going to communicate if I can't be alone from now on ?"

Levi approaches him, and Eren takes a step back nervously.

He puts his hand around the Jaeger's jaw but doesn't apply any pressure. "Stay still, brat." 

Eren does his best not to twitch as the captain sticks something into his right ear. 

"It's an earpiece. You'll be able to hear me through this."

The younger man nods. although he never knew about such technology. He doesn't dare to ask questions. 

"I'll be watching you from afar. If you're in danger, just call my name or pretend to faint, I'll come get you." 

"Yes captain, but wouldn't that make it obvious that I'm spying for you ?"

"Yeah, we'll deal with that later. Are you gonna be okay ?"

"Yes Captain !"

"Brat." Levi's hand is still on his jaw, it makes his skin tingle. The other man is close enough that he can smell his soap. Eren must be clean enough because the captain hasn't said anything about it. Does he smell bad ? It makes him nervous.

"Eren ?" 

He startles, realizing the captain was waiting for his answer. "Yes captain ?!" 

"I'm actually asking. Are you going to be okay ? Can you handle this ?"

Eren doesn't know what to do with the question, doesn't understand what he's expected to answer. He swallows his saliva and nods once. Levi steps back, letting go of his face. He seems unhappy, but not angry. The younger man can't tell if he fucked up or not. 

"Then go. You'll hear my orders soon."

"Good luck, Eren." Hange says solemnly. 

 

* * *

 

Eren is back in the hideout and his jaw still feels like wet coton. He's constantly tense at the idea that the captain could be looking at him and talking in his ear anytime. 

Sometimes he gets painfully aware of how much Levi is everything he wanted as a childhood hero, if they hadn't been separated by several feet of concrete. 

It reminds Eren of how much he gave up on, and what he will never be, at the same time that it makes him want to reach for it. 

"Alright brat. Oh, you twitched a little didn't you ? Don't look around, you can't see me anyway. I talked with Erwin, and we agree that it's better if you lay low for now. Kenny might also be aware that someone is giving us informations, and trying to find that person by keeping you all here. So don't do anything other than your normal job, and we'll see if we can give you a mission that doesn't raise any suspicions. I'll leave now, I've got a meeting of my own, but I'll be there in the morning. Don't take off the earpiece, though."

The voice stops and Eren relaxes a little. At least it seems that Levi won't be watching him all night. For some reason the idea made him agitated. 

"Oh and also." He has to dig his nails deep into his palm not to jump this time. "I forgot. It was good, what you said to Kenny earlier. I was impressed, quick thinking. Good job, brat. Anyway, good night."

Sasha is giving him a funny look, and he realizes that his speeding heartbeat must show on his face. He stands up and takes a walk around the whole hideout. 

One time, two times, three times.

his heart won't calm down.

Ah, he's really fucked, isn't he ? 


	5. The killer

The next few days, Eren performs his daily tasks in a blur. He tries not to think about how Levi might be somewhere close, how he hasn't told him anything since he congratulated him, how it's making him worry.  
He's worried. About Levi. 

He tells himself not to think about those feelings. But it's difficult when most of what Kenny's making him do consists of patrolling around their hideout's area, and it's giving his all the time in the world to just think about the captain.

 

It's not real. He keeps telling himself. The man is just the picture perfect of the hero he's always wanted. He helped his siblings, but also appeared in his life right before Eren lost them.

Eren is disappointed in himself. He thought he was completely bulletproof, ready to live his life alone, in the undergrounds. But it didn't take him long to project all his feelings on some army guy who is still his enemy.

Levi would probably kill him the minute he becomes a nuisance. 

Maybe he will, one day.

The thought makes Eren's stomach contract painfully. He goes out of the hideout and walks for a few minutes. He tries to breathe slowly, tries to regain control, but he can't control his body's reaction. 

He presses on his earpiece, activating the mic. "Captain, is everything OK ?" He whispers. 

No answer. He curls on himself a little bit. Maybe something happened, or maybe Levi doesn't care to reassure him.

He hopes it's the second option. He would rather have him alive and uncaring. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck those feelings.

"Captain ?" He says a bit louder.

He thinks he hears someone whisper back in his ear, but suddenly a louder voice makes him jump.

"What the hell are you doing ?"

He turns around, Lukas is standing a few meters behind him. 

"No-Nothing." He stutters. He should be able to keep his calm, like usual. But he's worried, and everything comes out of him uncontrollably like when he was a child.

"You're lying. I saw you talk to someone. It's you isn't it ? The traitor."

Lukas is just standing there. He has no gun, he's not that important in the mafia. 

Eren realizes he has to kill him. Otherwise he will just run and tell Kenny and Eren will be dead meat.

He pulls out his gun.

Lukas freezes in fear. He's not a good fighter, doesn't run that fast. His skills were more in selling drugs and hiding well. But this time, he chose not to hide, probably because he was sure that Eren would never kill him.

Eren has never killed anyone.

He want to shut his eyes to concentrate, but he can't loose sight of his target. His hands are shaking, but if he presses them on the gun he'll just shoot.

But he has to. For Mikasa, for Armin, this was always the deal. 

"Eren, wait.." Lukas starts, his voice strangled by terror. He's way older than Eren, but he looks so childlike right now. Big blue eyes, like Armin's. 

Eren's sight blurs. He's gonna cry. He can't cry. He can't stop.

 

There is a loud noise, and the man falls to the side. No more blue eyes. A trail of blood flows out of the body where Lukas was shot.

Eren's blood is pumping so loud in his ears, he can't ear anything. Did he kill the man ? Did he became a murderer ?

There is a flash of green and Levi is right in front of him. "Eren ?" His voice is soft where everything is painful.

Eren falls forward, and the man catches him. He's shaking so hard he can't stand.

"D-Did I kill him ?"

"What ?" Levi presses him against his chest gently. "No. Eren. Eren, _I killed him."_

 

The captain leads him to sit behind a building, away from the dead body. Eren collapses on the dirty floor. At no point was he in danger, but adrenaline is running in his veins, hair standing on his arms like _he_ almost died.   
Levi looks down at him, expressionless. Is he disappointed that Eren was unable to do his job ? That he had to do the dirty work for him ? That he's so weak ? 

The older man presses on his earpiece "I'm north of the hideout, I need someone to get rid of a dead guy. Quick."

"I can do it." Eren uses the wall to stand up. He should at least do that. That's something he did before.

Levi grabs his arm, fingers painfully digging in his flesh. "Sit down, you're in shock."

"I'm fine."

"Stop playing tough, brat." 

Eren pushes him away. Levi doesn't budge, doesn't let go. 

"I'm not fucking playing ! Why didn't you give me any news anyway ?" 

The captain frowns. "I told you I would contact you if I needed you to do anything. It's too risky to talk to you everyday." 

"You.."

"Were you worried ?" Levi asks calmly. 

Eren looks to his right, at the dark street, and down, at his old worn out green shoes next to the captain's pristine boots. 

"No." It's his only answer, and it's unconvincing at best. Levi lets got of his arm. He presses on his earpiece again. 

"Tell Erwin I want to talk to him." 

"Am I fired ?" Eren will never forgive himself Armin and Mikasa have to come back here because of him.

There is pity in the captain's eyes. Eren doesn't understand why. "You're not fired. I'll talk to Erwin and come back to let you know what to do next. Don't move, I'll be back."

Eren nods, collapsing on the floor again in relief. It's fine, as long as his siblings are safe. It's fine.

 

He wakes up to a hand on his cheek. When he opens his eyes, the captain is kneeling right in front of him. He doesn't remember falling asleep, and the captain looks furious. Furrowed brows, and jaw clenched in restrained anger.

"Sorry." He blurts out without thinking about it.

"For what ?" The captain asks, and then seems to understand and makes an effort to relax. "Erwin insists that you continue to work for Kenny under cover. But you'll only do one thing for us and then you're out." 

Eren is a bit confused, will he be fired after that ? How is he useful if he doesn't work for Kenny ? 

He hesitates to ask, but Levi continues. "You know the girls who work at the brothel nearby right ?" He nods. "Kenny has them completely locked inside. You're gonna convince him to send you there to do a check up. If you can. Then you're going to convince them to follow you to the exit tunnel." 

 

Eren clenches his fist. "What are you gonna do to them ? They're innocent."

"I know. Trust me, I"ll protect them." Eren isn't so sure. "they'll be fine. I'll make sure of it." 

He really wants to trust him. But everything is so confusing about the man. He shouldn't. 

"You have to promise me." He sounds like a kid. He wonders how the captain could take him seriously. He has nothing to threaten him with.

levi smiles. Really smiles. "I promise." 

Eren has to stop himself from smiling back.

 

"Be careful, alright. Don't call me if you're not about to die."

"What about Lukas ?"

"Kenny will just think that he's gone. We've taken so many people already, he won't be suspicious."

Levi still seems worried as he tries to reassure him. Worried about the mission, or worried for him ? 

Eren shakes his head, he shouldn't be hoping for this. 

"Thank you for your help, this won't happen again." He uses his best soldier voice, but Levi raises his eyebrows, unimpressed.

"Right. well, anyway, I won't be far." 


End file.
